Man charged by humane society after dog transported on open flatbed trailer

A man from Rocky View County has been charged after the Calgary Humane Society received complaints stemming from a photo of a dog tethered to the top of a moving flatbed trailer.

The trailer was being driven through Calgary on Oct. 18.

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Humane society senior investigator Brad Nichols says it's very dangerous to transport animals on truck beds, where they are exposed to extreme weather and could fall off.

"This offence is aggravated by the manner in which this dog was being transported, on a flatbed with no side rails to keep him on the trailer," he said in a release.

The dog's owner, Volodymyr Irodenko, was charged Nov. 11 with causing an animal to be in distress and transporting an animal outside the cab of a vehicle. He faces one charge under the Animal Protection Act, one Criminal Code charge and one Calgary bylaw infraction.

The humane society worked on the investigation with the Calgary Police Service and Rocky View County officials.

"We are very lucky, in Calgary, to have agencies that can work together so effectively to ensure the well-being of animals and accountability for reckless owners," Nichols said.

The humane society seized the animal while the charges are pending.

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